The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has outlined plans to deploy Nigerian medical professionals living abroad to various states this year, aiming to bolster healthcare services across the country.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Dabiri-Erewa unveiled the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative 2026.
The initiative with the theme, ‘Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development,’ will bring diaspora-based doctors and specialists to various geopolitical zones to conduct medical interventions and provide professional training.
Dabiri-Erewa noted that although Nigeria benefits significantly from diaspora remittances estimated at over $20bn annually, the technical expertise of Nigerian medical professionals overseas remains largely untapped.
“Nigeria has a pool of highly trained Diaspora Health Professionals who continue to make significant contributions to global healthcare systems.
“Beyond financial remittances, which exceed $20bn annually, their knowledge transfer, specialist care, mentorship and systems expertise represent a powerful tool for national health transformation,” she said.
The NiDCOM boss added that the initiative provides “a coordinated framework to align diaspora expertise with priority national and state-level health needs, particularly in underserved communities in Nigeria.”
Under the programme, seven diaspora-based medical associations will be deployed to states including Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Nasarawa, Abia, Sokoto, and Kaduna between July 20 and 23, 2026, ahead of the annual National Diaspora Day on July 25.
The teams will subsequently collaborate with state governments and local health institutions in their assigned locations.
Participating organisations include the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas, the Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists, the Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain, the Concerned Medics Foundation, the Nigerian Medical Association Germany, the Nigerian-Australian Medical & Dental Association, and the Nigerian Doctors Forum – South Africa.
Their interventions will cover specialist lectures, maternal and neonatal health, sickle cell screening, women’s health screening, point-of-care ultrasound, interventional radiology, neurosurgery, reproductive health diagnostics, medical leadership and health governance, among others.
“These allocations ensure nationwide reach across multiple geopolitical zones,” Dabiri-Erewa said.
The NiDCOM boss said the initiative will focus on sustainable capacity building rather than short-term outreach, with expected outcomes including improved access to specialist services, strengthened institutional capacity, enhanced clinical competence of local health professionals and the generation of measurable health data.
She also expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for supporting diaspora engagement, describing it as “a strategic pillar in our foreign policy agenda for national development.”
“As we move toward the implementation of DHII 2026, we invite Nigerian Health Professionals in the Diaspora to join us as partners in building resilient, equitable and people-centred healthcare systems in Nigeria.
“Let DHII 2026 be remembered as a pioneering coordinated national effort where diaspora expertise translated into measurable health impact,” she concluded.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Dr Fatima Kyari, assured that the council would facilitate the “licensing of all relevant medical and dental personnel participating in the initiative” and work in synergy with other health practitioners to ensure its success.
She described the programme as a step toward encouraging “Nigerians abroad to contribute more actively to the country’s health sector.”
Also speaking, the Vice President of the Nigerian Medical Association Germany, Hamid Balogun, stressed the importance of sustainability, noting that the initiative should extend beyond a one-off intervention.
Nigeria’s health sector has long grappled with shortages of specialist doctors, uneven distribution of medical personnel and limited access to advanced care in many states, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
At the same time, thousands of Nigerian-trained medical professionals now practise abroad, contributing significantly to healthcare systems in Europe, North America and other parts of the world.
